We’re surrounded by a world of noise and some days we just want to block it out. And when it comes to listening to our favourite tunes we want the best of both worlds- to block out ambient noise while maximizing our listening pleasure.
Enter the world of noise-cancelling headphones. Not only do they have padding and insulation, but they also have technology that generates “anti-noise” to counter the actual background noise.
One company that manufactures these is New Zealand based PHITEK. You may not have heard of these guys before, but they’ve been around for 7 years, supplying headphones and noise cancellation solutions to a number of airlines including Singapore Qatar Air New Zealand and Finnair. Blackbox is their premium brand of noise canceling headphones and earphones first developed in 2006.
Now Available in Canada
Just recently available in Canada is their flagship product, the Blackbox M14 Noise Cancelling Headphones ($249). It features their proprietary ANR (Active Noise Rejection) system that operates on a single AAA battery and eliminates 92% of ambient noise.
What I like about the M14 is its light weight, only 180g. It has soft leatherette ear pads that fit comfortably over the ears. There’s an on-off switch to activate noise cancellation with a blue LED “ON” indicator that flashes when the battery- that’s expected to last about 40 hours, runs low.
It comes with a pair of adapters including that hard to find two-pronged airline adapter. It also has an extra long 1.6m fully detachable cable, ideal for quick release while flying. The ear cups rotate and fold flat can and the M14 can be easily stored in its compact carry case.
I found the noise reduction to be extremely effective in a bus, a car and even just walking down the street. But where it really shines is when you’re up in the air- we all know how prevalent noise is on a airplane – jets, crying bablies and all! On a couple of instances I did pick up the odd bit of interference possibly from other passenger or maybe the on-board electronics or possibly even the cable (it’s thin & not highly insulated). As well, you can hear a tiny hum when the unit is on, but not connected to any sound source.
Compared to Creative Aurvana X-FI
The best comparison I could find to the M14 is the Creative Labs Aurvana X-Fi ($299US). Interestingly enough, their respective travel cases and included accessories are virtually identical, including the cable whose one connector sits at a 90-degree angle.
First thing to note is that the Creative headphones do cost more, and weigh more 245g – by about 1/3, than the M14, but it does have a couple of differentiating features.
For the extra $50 or so, ignoring the exchange rate, in addition to the noise cancellation, the Aurvana does feature X-Fi technology, which in effect boosts the audio’s high and low frequencies. When turned on, this enhancement is noticeable, especially when playing highly compressed mp3 files. It also has a 3D technology, somewhat useful when using your headphones for games, again when switched on, but not as much or when listening to music. It also has a volume control wheel built right into the headset.
Of course more bells and whistles means more power drain. The Aurvana offers way less than half the battery life than the M14 and needs 2-AAA batteries to boot. And one other note – with the music cranked, the Aurvana does have a little more sound leakage – ie: the ability for the guy in the next seat to hear your current audio selection.
Bottom Line
The Blackbox M14 offers respectable sound quality. But while I really like the concept of noise cancellation, if you typically use your headphones in a quiet environment, then you can get better sound for less money for units without the extra technology.
If you listen in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and you need the noise reduction but not the extra features of the Aurvana, then the M14 is a good choice. As well, the M14 is less tiring on the ear when wearing them for a longer period of time. However, at $249, I find it a little steep for what you get, but if you find them on sale – under $200 then I think you’ll be more than happy with them.
C14 & M10
If you’re still interested in noise cancellation technology but preferred an in-ear, rather than over the ear solution, Vanessa Gates recently reviewed the Blackbox C14 Noise Cancelling Earphones
And on a final note, the M14 does have a baby brother, the BlackBox M10 ($199) – very similar, but offers 15% less noise cancellation. All models noted are available at Future Shop (currently $199 and the M10, $149).
Greg Gazin is the Real Canadian Gadget Guy.
UPDATE: Mar 16,2010: I’ve just been advised that the Canadian Retail Price has dropped to $199
Tags: audio, creative, Gadget Guy, gadgetguy, Gadgets, headphones, m14, noise canceling, Phitek, travel
UPDATE: Mar 16,2010: I’ve just been advised that the Canadian Retail Price has now dropped to $199.